Champions League Final 2012 - Chelsea 1 (4) - (3) 1 Bayern Munich

[Kojo 4,676]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned, and it's a positive thing actually. The referee did a good job. Generally refereeing throughout the whole campaign in our games was decent, no big controversy at all (except for the suspensions to Ivan and Rami, which were semi-justified). It seems this season they weren't rigged after all.

Only three times we have been in the CL and haven't been knocked out Controversially, twice we got to the final, once we should of got to the final and went on to beat Mourinho's porto but we missed sitters instead.

[Kojo 4,676]

I agree with you generally. However, that was a soft pen on Ribery. If the ref applied the same criteria, a pen should've called for Boateng's contact on Nando. But yes, by and large good refereeing throughout the final and the tournament.

I agree the one for Nando was pretty equal, but Riberys made it much more noticable because of the area he was in and where the referee was, he was surrounded by loads of players Drogba comes from behind, kicks the back of his legs he does down, it's gonna be a penalty anyday, it was a clear pen though.

[Gianfranco_Z 202]

Sick of all these ignorant fans giving us no credit, David Luiz was part injured but still went on like that, Cahill made a remarkable recovery but still not match fit but played 120 minutes anyway.

Sick and tired of it, we never get any credit at all, it's just we parked the bus and played awful football and it's the most undeserved win ever.

If we had won controversially with referee decisions going our way what changed the game, then yes it would of been controversial, but that never happened did it.

Who cares what any other fan thinks? #Jealousy.

Championé championé olé olé olé!

[Shane 2,275]

David Luiz will become a Chelsea legend, I have little doubts about that.

[goke 26]

The dressing room was silent as Drogba spoke softly to the cup. This is the inside story of... Chelsea's glory

Bruce Buck compared it to a ‘religious experience’, this extraordinary scene in the Chelsea dressing room after an extraordinary Champions League final when Didier Drogba addressed the European Cup.

Not so much man-to-man as man to magnificent metal object, Drogba spoke to the trophy as if those ear-like handles could hear his every word.

Everyone else stopped. Roman Abramovich was mesmerised; Roberto Di Matteo delayed his departure for the post-match press conference. The players simply stood in awe, intent on listening to their match-winner’s speech.

With the flag of the Ivory Coast draped across his shoulders, Drogba leapt on to a table in the centre of the dressing room.

‘Why have you avoided us for such a long time?’ he said, almost berating club football’s greatest prize. ‘Flirting with us, eluding us.’

He spoke of ‘Barcelona in 2009’, of ‘Moscow’ the year before, eventually focusing on the chronology of the evening.

Only occasionally did the other players interrupt, chanting to Drogba, to Abramovich, to the members of the Chelsea board, that they wanted their striker to stay at the club beyond this season; that his decisive penalty should not be his last act as a Chelsea player.

‘It was like he was praying to the cup,’ said Buck, the Chelsea chairman, after emerging from the team hotel on Sunday morning.

‘It was almost a religious experience. He talked about Barcelona — not this year’s Barcelona, but the previous time — and about Moscow. It really was a lot of fun.’

Abramovich gave a speech of his own, using director Eugene Tenenbaum to translate his emotive Russian.

‘Roman gave a little thank you speech in the dressing room,’ said Buck. ‘The message was it was all down to the boys. They did it. We’ve had a tough season, a bunch of highs and lows, but they grasped it and deserved all the credit. And they do.’

Clearly a little emotional himself, Buck continued: ‘It was very difficult when Andre (Villas-Boas) left because Andre’s a really good guy. I guess we just felt it was something that had to be done and, obviously, it’s turned out correctly for us.

‘The spirit in the dressing room after the match was unbelievable. The camaraderie; they were sitting and talking for the longest time. They didn’t get back to the hotel until almost three o’clock in the morning.’

Some of them partied all night. Buck made it to his bed but he discovered colleagues who never made it that far on Sunday morning, slumped on sofas and in armchairs around the hotel.

At the same venue on the eve of the game the atmosphere was somewhat calmer, with Di Matteo playing a motivational masterstroke that took the players by surprise.

Edited beautifully, officials said, by staff at the club, Di Matteo treated his squad to a video that not only contained goodwill messages from family members but also had footage of the players from over the years, some dating back to when they were kids.

The Italian had the DVD put together in secret. It lasted less than half-an-hour but it featured every member of the squad who had a chance of playing, including Ryan Bertrand.

There were, said some of the players, a few teary eyes but it also sparked some amusing banter, removing some of the tension from the air.

Di Matteo has been clever, even when it comes to the way he deals with Chelsea’s owner. He does not divulge their private conversations, just as he does not try to apply any pressure in the media.

‘Whatever decision the club reach I will accept,’ he said. ‘My future is not important.’

The selection of Bertrand was a bold one but it was also another example of his astute management; another reason why he should be considered for the role on a permanent basis.

‘I don’t like to gamble,’ he said. ‘I see these players every day in training. I have watched him develop and every time he plays he has been one of our best players. I tried different options and that looked like the best option for the team.

‘Our preparation was difficult because of the injuries and suspensions. It was not ideal for a Champions League final. But the desire and motivation of the players has been great.’

Di Matteo would not discuss his future and there was not much he could say about Drogba’s either. But he called the striker ‘a fantastic servant for the club’ before praising others in his side.

‘Ashley Cole was immense, Frank Lampard, the whole team,’ he said. ‘Petr Cech was fantastic.’

He was, and he was also the one player who missed Drogba’s address because he was busy trying to provide the drug testers with a urine sample.

‘By the time I got to the dressing room everyone had gone,’ said Cech. As had that elusive trophy.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2147273/Chelseas-Champions-League-inside-story.html#ixzz1vSuDUFoX

[cfceuro12 3]

Man these guys just made my weekend. What a fcking game and droggers is absolute beast in the finals. We needn't play fancy football, we played to our strengths (weakness actually). Chelsea actually made it to the semis by playing attacking football. We parked the bus because we appreciated the fact that Barca and Bayern (sans JT, Ivanovic, rami and RM) were stronger than us and we needed to block everything and catch em in one of those counter attacks.

My first post here and I will never forget 19/05 ! KTBFFH lads!!

[capriccioso 2,545]

One of the many upshots of the whole affair is that we, both posters and fans in general, have never been this united before. Every player is suddenly beloved, everybody connected to the club from Gourlay et al down to Jamal Blackman is above criticism, and we're too happy to disagree with each other over anything

[The Rising Sun 709]

Three days ago, we had deadwood that needed to be cleared out.

Today, we have legends that are leaving on the greatest high.

They had to go then, and they have to go now.

But they made history and earned the title of legends.

Drogba has been a beast for us, however, if our club has to move forward, he has got to go.

Kalou has been a great servant to the club, so humble and yet always trying. Who needs messi when we had Kalou? Thank you for everything.

Malouda too has surprised me with his dignity and humbleness when he went out of favour, choosing to say he will win back his place rather than giving some shady interview to the media.

Lampard must be converted to a defensive midfielder. MUST. He is great as a DM, at this age. Lampard Mikel as DM's are the perfect combo. Mikel breaks up play while lampard makes the transition play from defense to attack.

Ferreira has known his place at chelsea and always given his all when given a chance. Great man.

Bosingwa never really made the cut at chelsea and sending him off with a CL medal is perfect.

Essien is past it. Very respectful and loved player, thats why nobody got on his back this season, but he too should go.

There might be more players or less, but what this win has done for this club is so fucking FULL CIRCLE, that now,

1. we can attract top talent

2. CL next year

3. Increased our reputation as a club worldwide, not CL pretenders anymore.

4. Money from CL Win and Participation next year

5. Sending out all our "legends, earlier known as deadwood" on a massive high

6. NO HISTORY MY ASS.

Most Importantly, it has kickstarted a project, that OTHER players will want to come and be a part of.

Our performances in the Semis and Finals were so defensive, that other players will already know that chelsea needs top attacking talent, and they will play a huge role in changing the playing style of Chelsea. More motivation. More history. More Chelsea. Come on.

MARIN IS ALL IN.

HULK IS ALL IN.

CHELSEA FC IS ALL IN.

WHO'S NEXT?

[ZOS 580]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/4328632/Fernando-Torres-I-cant-go-on-like-this-at-Chelsea.html

How dare you Fernando Torres, After CFC gave you your best achievement in club football. I'm so pissed!

[goke 26]

Why must Drogba go but not Lampard?

Drogba is fit enough to be playing @ a high/higher than Torres/Rooney/Balotelli/Adebayor....pretty much any top forward in the Premier League....Resepect ya elders bwoy

[The Rising Sun 709]

Why must Drogba go but not Lampard?

Drogba is fit enough to be playing @ a high/higher than Torres/Rooney/Balotelli/Adebayor....pretty much any top forward in the Premier League....Resepect ya elders bwoy

Simply because he is 34 now, and we need to be building for the future now, rather than delaying again and again.

Lampard is a midfielder who can still provide a whole lot as a DM, and can become like Scholes and Giggs.

With drogba, our play will always be skewed towards the ' hit in air' = drogba try to win it....

We need to become faster in play and play more on the ground. I would have loved for him to stay as a player, but for us as a club to move on, i am of the opinion that our base needs to change.

After Lampard in one of his interviews said that he like Robbie because he played him more than "the other guy", i am a little pissed at that sort of behavior.

If Robbie doesnt play him much next season then Lampard might say the same thing about him.

Frankly, if we get the correct replacement, i dont mind if Lampard goes as well.

I am really looking forward to a new Chelsea, a new style, with flair and where the issue of player power does not exist anymore.

[capriccioso 2,545]

I think City can take from this result that it may be a long, long time until they are European champions. It took us 9 years.

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

One of the many upshots of the whole affair is that we, both posters and fans in general, have never been this united before. Every player is suddenly beloved, everybody connected to the club from Gourlay et al down to Jamal Blackman is above criticism, and we're too happy to disagree with each other over anything

I disagree

[capriccioso 2,545]

Haha

[Steve 10,227]

Added new photos on page 6 here -

http://forum.talkche...pean-champions/

[Jase 43,479]

Mikel apparently spooked Robben out before he took his penalty:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/9278333/John-Obi-Mikel-told-former-Chelsea-team-mate-Arjen-Robben-he-would-miss-penalty-for-Bayern-Munich.html

“I told him he was going to miss it,” said the Nigerian midfielder. “I went up to him and said it in his ear. I told him that Petr Cech knew where he was going to kick it so he was going to miss.

After reading the article below, just realized that Cech actually dived the right way for all Bayern's 6 penalties and he ended up saving 3 of them. AND he studied all of Bayern's penalties since 2007! Well done Cech!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/may/20/petr-cech-chelsea-bayern-munich

[Ben Allington 2]

Drogba has to be after that a complete icon and legend of this club 9 goals in 9 major finals and to finish your carrer at this club with an equalizer in the 88th minute when we were dead and buried and then take the final spot kick to send fulham broadway into pandemonium !

HERO ALWAYS WILL BE!

[zolayes 14,489]

I think City can take from this result that it may be a long, long time until they are European champions. It took us 9 years.

they may not have the wretched luck we had for that time ,,,